Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday wrote Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that members of the Bharatiya Janata Party had attacked several of his party’s offices in Tripura on the previous day.
He urged the prime minister to intervene in the matter and stop the alleged attacks.
“In a pre-planned fashion, scores of offices of the CPI(M), including the state headquarters, were attacked by mobs of BJP men,” he said.
Yechury alleged that CPI(M) district offices in Gomati, Sepahijala and West Tripura and sub-divisional offices in Udaipur, Bishalgarh, Sadar and Santar Bazar were damaged or burnt down by BJP members.
He also alleged that the state committee office in Agartala and houses of several party leaders had also been attacked.
“It is to be noted that the police who were present at many of these venues remained silent bystanders,” Yechury said. “In the case of state committee office, some CRPF [Central Reserve Police Force] jawans were present in front of the office but they were withdrawn an hour before the attack began.”
Yechury’s allegations came a day after the CPI(M) posted multiple photos and videos alleging that BJP members had set fire to one of its offices and ransacked several others.
In at least two videos, people carrying BJP flags could be seen vandalising cars and ransacking buildings, which the CPI(M) claimed to be their party offices.
The BJP members also allegedly attacked offices of Bangla daily Pratibadi Kalam and CPI(M)’s mouthpiece Daily Desher Katha, The Hindu reported.
More than 60 people were injured on Wednesday in clashes between supporters of the CPI(M) and BJP, according to the EastMojo. Supporters of the two parties have had multiple such clashes earlier this week.
At least six people were injured after clashes broke out between supporters of the two parties at Dhanpur area in Sonamura sub-division in Sepahijala district on Monday.
On Wednesday, the clashes broke out during the BJP’s statewide rally. The saffron party held the demonstrations to condemn the alleged attacks on its members by the CPI(M).
Meanwhile, a delegation of 10 journalists met Tripura Inspector General of Police (IGP) (Law and Order) Arindam Nath to demand action on the attacks on offices of the two newspapers, EastMojo reported.
Agartala Press Club Secretary Pranab Sarkar has also demanded that the government take immediate measures and arrest those responsible within 12 hours.
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